1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a brake lever conjunctive switch device used for motorcycles and saddle seat vehicles.
2. Description of the Background Art
Motorcycles and three-wheeled or four-wheeled saddle seat vehicles typically include a brake lever at the steering handle for braking the vehicle. A brake lamp switch for turning on a brake lamp at the time of braking is generally provided beside the brake lever.
Some of these vehicles comprise an inhibitor switch for enabling starting of the engine when the brake is operated by a brake lever and the vehicle is thereby stopped. The inhibitor switch is operated by the brake lever, together with the brake lamp switch. The operation timings of the brake lamp switch and the inhibitor switch are set to be different from each other.
A brake lever conjunctive switch having the function to set the operation timings different from each other has been proposed by the present Applicant in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 10-297364 (1998). The technology proposed therein comprises a switch box, a swing plate fitted to the switch box to swing in conjunction with a brake lever, a plurality of push rods fitted to a switch case so as to be pressed down by the swing plate, the push rods differing in distance from the center of rotation of the swing plate, and switch means facing the push rods. However, the switch means have special structures and, therefore, there is a problem that the shape of the switch box must be amply changed.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a brake lever conjunctive switch capable of making the operation timings of a pair of switches different while minimizing the change in the shape of the switch box.
In order to attain the object, a brake lever conjunctive switch device of the present invention comprises a switch box to which a brake lever is turnably fitted, and a pair of switches mounted in the switch box, wherein the switches are disposed in parallel along the axial direction of turning of the brake lever. One of the switches is a stop lamp switch, and the other of the switches is an inhibitor switch.
A first contact member is provided on the brake lever for operating one of the switches when the brake lever is turned by a predetermined angle. A second contact member is provided on the axis of turning of the brake lever for operating the other of the switches by being oscillated by the brake lever when the brake lever is turned by not less than the predetermined angle.
The second contact member is provided with a contact piece opposed to the first contact member with a predetermined space therebetween along the direction of oscillation thereof. The first contact member is brought into contact with the contact piece, whereby the second contact piece is oscillated when the brake lever is turned by not less than the predetermined angle.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.